Soccer: Italians make firepower count

DORTMUND - Italy coach Marcello Lippi hailed midfield superiority and a fear of the penalty shootout as the keys to his team's stunning 2-0 win over hosts Germany in the semifinal of the soccer World Cup yesterday.

Late goals in extra time from defender Fabio Grosso and striker Alessandro Del Piero, a late substitute, ended Germany's hopes of a place in the final.

What did it, said Lippi, was a combination of packing the midfield and leaving Francesco Totti behind a lone striker and then taking two midfielders off early in extra time to finish with four forwards.

Italy had the better of the midfield, with 57 per cent possession and the Germans forced to man-mark Totti with a sparkling Andrea Pirlo, named Fifa's man of the match, free to shine as the playmaker.

They also had the firepower that made the difference when it mattered in a game of few real scoring opportunities, with Alberto Gilardino and Gianluca Zambrotta both hitting the woodwork in the first few minutes of extra time.

"It would have been an injustice not to win or to go on to penalties and a game of Russian roulette," Lippi said.

He said his team were clearly superior, both technically and in terms of nerve in front of a roaring crowd of home fans in the 65,000-seat Westfalenstadion.

"We were the better side and I don't think any German could say otherwise."

Italy have a sad history of flunking shootouts at the World Cup, bowing out of three of the previous four tournaments on penalties including in the 1994 final when they lost to Brazil.

Germany have won all four of their penalty shootouts, including against Argentina in the quarter-finals.

"It's an immense joy and you can see it was destiny. If we hadn't scored, we would probably have lost on penalties," said Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Pirlo was instrumental in setting up Grosso's 119th minute goal, with a deft flick through to the fullback whose left-foot shot curled its way round German keeper Jens Lehmann.

But it was the veteran striker Del Piero, troubled by injury and poor form in the past few seasons, who stole the show after coming on as a substitute 14 minutes into extra time.

He sealed Italy's win, slotting the ball inside the far post from a Gilardino pass.

"When I sent on Del Piero I said to people that he would get the winning goal. I was wrong about that but he made an impact," Lippi said.

Italy will face France or Portugal in Monday's final.

"I'd be stupid to say which team I'd prefer to face because if it turns out to be the other one, they'll be even more motivated. We'll take what comes."

- REUTERS